Algodones for this year.....

So why would we want to stop in Yuma??  There is nothing here that isn't in Mesa.....  Well other than one thing..........   Algodones, Mexico...

Seems like every year we end up going over the boarder to get our fix...  A few junk trinkets and more prescriptions...  Oh, and some more vanilla..  for our DIL Melissa...  She uses it somewhat rapidly...

And we like hanging around Yuma when it gets cool up in the Phoenix area...  as it is usually about 7 or 8 degrees warmer here....

So today we got ourselves cleaned up and organized to go over the boarder....  all except Biscuit who was relegated to staying home in the air conditioned motor home...

We had gone to the dog park and she had played with a new friend and his lady master that ran around with the dogs....  As usual I just watched in amazement....

But back to Mexico, we arrived in the parking lot on the Quechan Indian reservation side of the boarder about 11 AM...  Our thinking is that the folks that went really early to avoid the crowds are just coming back about then...

And that works fairly well as we got a spot in the second row of parking, which is really the first row because the first row is all handicap blue placard spots...

We walked straight over the line, as there is never any problem getting into Mexico...  It's more like where have you been?  We've missed you....

Enclosed sidewalks with vendors...

This lady was quite talented...  Look at those empty cans of paint, no wonder she has a respirator...

And of course we went right to my favorite Pharmacy, strangely named Lake Tahoe...  But they seem to know exactly what you want and have usually found most of it...  Its across the street from the big Purple store that most folks seem to go to...

And of course we were bombarded with the usual offers for dentists and eyeglasses...  Like carnival barkers, there is a guy on every corner handing out cards....  But Nada Mass.....  Nothing more...

And for some reason we decided to walk around the big block where all the sidewalks are full of trinket sales booths...  We needed our head examined...

Loyce bought a basket and a plate... And she liked one of those painted tin Astec sun decorations... So I got to bartering...  The vendor said thirty five.....  I shook my head no...  Thirty two......  In Spanish I said Veinte.... (20)...

He kept at me as I walked away,  Thirty.....  Veinte.... I would reply...  Eventually he offered Veinte cinco.. in Spanish...(25)   I said Veinte....

Back and forth we went and I never budged from 20... Loyce thought we were nuts by then....  He finally bagged the thing up and I gave him the 20 bucks.  Still he wanted some more asking if we had any change in our pockets...  Loyce gave him another dollar and I think a quarter she had too....

And of course around the corner, a fellow thought we had paid too much and would have sold it to us cheaper...  
So after going back to get the vanilla that we didn't want to carry all around town, we got in the longest line we have ever seen, to go home....

The line goes so far back you can't see the end...

And once you reach the gate it goes a long way to the passport windows... again..

 

Today it was moving right along and only took about 45 minutes to get thru the passport windows....  What did you buy was the question...  I answered the usual!!!   Vanilla and prescriptions.....  She said "Have a nice day..."

We haven't even brought our purchases into the motorhome tonight...  Makes me wonder if it isn't more about the experience of going over and bartering, rather than actually purchasing stuff...

But we did get some really good deals on medications that will save tons of money in the long run, now that we are on Medicare and the poor coverage Rx plans that go along with it...

Retired Rod